How to Make Gluten-Free Doughnuts

When I transitioned to a gluten-free diet, I found so much comfort in the gluten-free versions of my old favorite desserts. They’re even better when you make them at home!

I’ll walk you through how to make gluten-free doughnuts, with plenty of tips for working with gluten-free flours. Trust me—you can do this.

Are Doughnuts Gluten-Free?

Not usually. Typically, doughnuts are made with wheat flour, which contains gluten.

So, How Are Gluten-Free Doughnuts Made?

Gluten-free baked goods are made with flour milled from grains (or nuts, seeds, vegetables and more) that don’t contain gluten. There’s a wide world of “alternative flours,” from mainstream grains like rice and corn, lesser-known grains like sorghum and teff, nuts like almond or hazelnut, fruits like coconut and vegetables like sweet potato.

Which sugar alternatives have you tried?

3 Tips for Baking Gluten-Free

1. Don’t be surprised if your gluten-free dough is more tender, soft and difficult to work with at first. It will likely also call for a binding agent, such as xanthan gum, which mimics the role of gluten in the recipe.
2. Every gluten-free flour is different. Most gluten-free recipes will combine multiple flours to create the ideal final baked good. You cannot just insert a gluten-free flour into your favorite gluten recipe and expect it to come out fine! Look for recipes specifically designed for gluten-free flours. (You can make your own GF baking mix, too.)
3. Gluten-free dough is almost always much wetter than gluten-containing dough. The high moisture content is essential for a good texture and bounce after baking. Resist adding extra flour! If you’re having trouble shaping gluten-free dough, it will be easier if your hands are damp, and/or if you pop the dough in the fridge for a few minutes.

Transitioning to a gluten-free diet and stuck on lunch ideas? We’ve got 50!

How to Make Gluten-Free Doughnuts

Ingredients

• 2 cups gluten-free biscuit/baking mix
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 package (1/4 ounce) quick-rise yeast
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Glaze:

• 1 cup apple cider or juice
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 2/3 to 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

Special Equipment:

• Doughnut pan (like this one)

Instructions

Step 1: Mix the dough

In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (from the baking mix through the baking soda). In a separate bowl, stir together the wet ingredients (from the water to the vanilla). Pour the wet mixture into the dry, and stir to combine.

Test Kitchen tip: When baking with gluten, many recipes call for kneading or mixing the dough for a long time. This step develops the gluten and helps build structure. In gluten-free dough, kneading isn’t necessary. Just mix until thoroughly combined, and then you’re done.

Step 2: Rest the dough

Let the dough sit for about 10 minutes. This both activates the yeast and allows the raw flour to absorb moisture for a better final flavor and texture. While the dough rests, spray a doughnut pan with nonstick oil.

Step 3: Pipe into the pan

Pour the batter into a pastry bag or a plastic bag with a hole snipped from a corner. Pipe into the doughnut pan. Each cavity should be about three-quarters full to allow space for the dough to rise.

Step 4: Bake

Bake at 325º for 11-14 minutes, or until golden-brown and firm to the touch. (Generally speaking, it’s better to bake gluten-free longer than shorter, to avoid stickiness.) Allow the doughnuts to cool in the pan for five minutes or so before transferring to a cooling rack.

If you have more batter, pipe it into the pan and bake.

Step 5. Make the glaze

In a small saucepan, boil the apple cider until it’s reduced to about 3 tablespoons. Pour into a small bowl, and add the butter, stirring until it melts. Gradually stir in confectioners’ sugar until the mixture has the consistency of a glaze: pourable but not thin and watery.

Step 6. Dip!

Dip each doughnut halfway into the glaze. Allow the excess to drip off into the bowl. Return to the wire rack to let the glaze set. Repeat until all the doughnuts are glazed. Then dig in!

Here’s your handy guide to converting any recipe to gluten-free.

Hungry for More? Try Our Top 10 Gluten Free Recipes

1 / 10

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Guests will stand in line to kiss the cook when these treats are served! For a change of pace, try them with chunky peanut butter, too. —Canada60, Tasteofhome.com Community

Get Recipe

Gluten-Free Flour Mix

I make this recipe in two-quart batches and store them in airtight jars. My son and I both have celiac disease and love that we can use this mix to still enjoy traditional dishes. —Bernice Fenskie, Wexford, Pennsylvania

Get Recipe

Gluten-Free Chili Beef Pasta

After I got married, my aunt gave me her recipe for skillet spaghetti and told me it was ideal for a quick weeknight meal. Over the years I’ve tinkered with the ingredients and played with the seasonings to make it healthier. It's a dish my family truly loves. —Kristen Killian, Depew, New York

Get Recipe

Gluten-Free Angel Food Cake

My daughter can't have gluten, and my husband is diabetic, so there are a lot of special recipes at our house. This cake is always on our family gathering table. —Anne Wiebe, Gladstone, Manitoba

Get Recipe

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes

Both my boys have food allergies and really love these cupcakes! Because it’s easy and budget-friendly, I grind whole oats in my blender, just pulsing until they’re flour. —Desiree Glanzer, Carpenter, South Dakota

Get Recipe

Gluten-Free Oatmeal Chip Bars

With two busy boys who would rather move around than sit and eat, I needed a gluten-free, hearty, hand-held treat that could double as a quick breakfast, brunch, lunch or snack. This is a favorite of theirs, and I can change it up to accommodate ingredients I have on hand. —Susan James, Cokato, Minnesota

Get Recipe

Gluten-Free Spritz Delights

My daughter has Down syndrome and loves hosting parties, especially on holidays. Cookies always took center stage until she was diagnosed with celiac disease. I decided then to take on gluten-free baking, and these are the best yet—a cross between a shortbread and a sugar cookie. —Cheryl Costilow, Amherst, Ohio

Get Recipe

Muffin-Pan Meat Loaves

I used to have a catering business, and my specialty was comfort food. I once needed a gluten-free meat loaf, and my clients went nuts over this recipe. I often use an 8x8-in. pan or a loaf pan, but a muffin tin really cuts the cooking time. —Vangie Panagotopulos, Moorestown, New Jersey

Get Recipe

Gluten-Free Breakfast Blintzes

These cheese-filled, berry-topped blintzes taste just as mouthwatering and special as they look. —Laura Fall-Sutton, Buhl, Idaho

Get Recipe

Gluten-Free Snowballs

No one will miss the flour in these crumbly, nutty balls of goodness. Their melt-in-your-mouth texture will make them the hit of your cookie exchange. —Joan Sarge, Asheville, North Carolina

Get Recipe

Note: Every product is independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The post How to Make Gluten-Free Doughnuts appeared first on Taste of Home.

Kelsey Rae Dimberg